If the U.S. and its allies thought that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had been cowed by all the tough talk, stronger sanctions and the three aircraft carriers flexing military muscle in the region, the latest missile just punctured a giant hole in that premise.

The Pentagon confirmed the U.S. detected and tracked the launch of a single intercontinental ballistic missile about 1:17 p.m. Eastern Time, which is 3:17 a.m., Wednesday, Korea time. The missile was launched from Sain Ni, North Korea, and traveled roughly 600 miles eastward before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, the Pentagon added.